CAR OR VAN
SPECIALIST VEHICLE HIRE
RENTAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
Please read these terms carefully before signing your Rental Agreement.
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IMPORTANT |
Car or Van Specialist Vehicle Hire primarily operates on a business-to-business basis. These Terms & Conditions also apply where we occasionally rent a vehicle to a private individual for personal use.
For these Terms & Conditions:
Business Customer means a company, partnership, sole trader or other customer hiring the Vehicle wholly or predominantly for the purposes of a business, trade or profession.
Private Consumer means an individual hiring the Vehicle wholly or predominantly for purposes outside their business, trade or profession.
Hirer or Customer means the person or organisation named on the Rental Agreement. Driver means any person authorised by us to drive the Vehicle. Vehicle includes the rental vehicle and, where the context requires, any accessories, specialist equipment, keys or other items supplied with it.
These Terms & Conditions, together with the signed Rental Agreement and any applicable rate, insurance, vehicle-specific or account documentation, form the agreement between you and Car or Van Specialist Vehicle Hire.
By signing the Rental Agreement, you accept these Terms & Conditions. Please read them carefully and ask a member of staff to explain anything you do not understand before you sign.
Where you are a Business Customer, the hire is entered into wholly or predominantly for business purposes. Where you are a Private Consumer, the short-term rental restriction in section 2 applies.
Private Consumer Hire: We only offer short-term rental to Private Consumers. A Private Consumer rental must not exceed a total period of 30 days under the Rental Agreement. We will not agree an extension that causes a Private Consumer rental to exceed this 30-day maximum.
Business-to-Business Hire: The 30-day maximum does not apply to a Business Customer hiring wholly or predominantly for business purposes. A business rental may continue for the period agreed between us, subject to these Terms & Conditions, the Rental Agreement and any applicable account or commercial terms.
If the Vehicle is not returned at the agreed date, time and location, and an extension has not been authorised by us, you will be in breach of this agreement. We may continue to charge the applicable daily or hourly rental rate, together with any other applicable charges, until the Vehicle is returned to us.
If you breach this agreement, we may require the Vehicle to be returned before the agreed end of the rental period. Where appropriate, we will give you written notice. If we reasonably believe that you have supplied false or misleading information, or that the Vehicle is at risk, we may take reasonable steps to recover it.
You must inspect the vehicle and any accessories supplied before taking possession. If you believe the vehicle condition differs from the checkout record or pre-rental inspection, you must tell us as soon as possible.
You must take reasonable care of the vehicle, its keys, accessories and specialist equipment throughout the hire. You must lock the vehicle when unattended and use any security device fitted or supplied.
You are responsible for using the correct fuel and fluids and for carrying out reasonable routine checks during the hire, including oil, coolant/water, screen wash, tyres and any warning lights or messages. If you are unsure how to carry out a check, please ask us.
Where applicable, you must monitor fuel, AdBlue and EV/PHEV traction battery levels throughout the hire. You must take reasonable steps to prevent the Vehicle becoming immobilised, restricted or unusable through insufficient fuel, AdBlue or traction battery charge.
Before use, you must also check any fitted or supplied equipment relevant to your vehicle, including roof racks, beacons and tow bars. If a fault or safety concern is identified, stop using the affected vehicle or equipment where continued use may be unsafe and contact us promptly.
You are responsible for damage occurring during the hire, subject to the insurance and damage protection provisions in this agreement. This includes damage caused by low-level or overhead objects, bridges, branches, loading activity, misuse and damage to the interior, exterior, tyres, wheels, accessories or specialist equipment.
You must tell us as soon as reasonably possible if the vehicle develops a fault, is damaged, is stolen or is involved in an accident.
You must not arrange or permit repairs, alterations or other work to the vehicle without our prior authorisation. If we authorise work, any reimbursement is subject to our approval and production of an appropriate receipt or invoice.
If we deliver the vehicle to an address nominated by you, responsibility for the vehicle passes to you when delivery is completed.
Unless we have agreed to collect the vehicle, you must return it to the agreed location during opening hours or at another time agreed with us.
Where a vehicle is returned or collected without an immediate final inspection, you remain responsible for its condition until we have had a reasonable opportunity to inspect it. We may need to clean the vehicle before completing the inspection.
Where we collect the vehicle, it should be parked in a clear and accessible position, with sufficient space for a proper inspection. If the vehicle cannot be safely or adequately inspected, we may ask for it to be moved or may rearrange the collection.
We reserve the right to carry out a secondary inspection at our premises after collection, particularly where lighting, weather, dirt, vehicle height, access or safety conditions prevented a complete inspection at the collection location. Checkout and collection evidence, photographs and previous condition records may be reviewed before damage is confirmed as new.
If a vehicle is left with a garage, third party or at an unattended collection point, we strongly recommend that you take clear photographs and video of the vehicle at the time it is left.
You must not carry any object, substance, animal, waste or material in a way that may damage, contaminate or create an unreasonable odour in the vehicle, or delay its subsequent rental or sale.
Keeping the rental vehicle correctly serviced is essential to protect its reliability, manufacturer warranty and future value.
An electronic notification may display when a service is due. You must contact your renting location as soon as a service notification appears so that the required service can be arranged.
Where a hire remains open, you must provide an up-to-date odometer mileage reading every 28 days or every 1,500 miles travelled, whichever occurs first.
This requirement applies to any hire that reaches the relevant time or mileage threshold and allows us to monitor servicing requirements and arrange maintenance before the manufacturer's scheduled service interval is exceeded.
Where the manufacturer's scheduled service interval is exceeded by between 1,000 and 5,000 miles, the following missed-service charges apply:
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Vehicle Category |
Missed Service Charge |
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Economy to Standard |
£2,000 |
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Full Size to Prestige and MPVs |
£3,500 |
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Luxury, Elite and Prestige 4x4 |
£5,000 - £10,000* |
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Vans |
£3,000 |
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Pickup Trucks |
£3,500 |
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Minibuses - 8 to 17 seats |
£3,500 |
Where a manufacturer's service interval is exceeded by more than 5,000 miles, the matter will be referred for further assessment. The assessment may consider diminution in vehicle value, loss or impact on manufacturer warranty, reduction in resale value and additional mechanical risk resulting from the missed service.
Where the assessed financial loss exceeds the standard missed-service charge, you may be liable for the full assessed loss in value and any associated costs.
*The applicable charge for Luxury, Elite and Prestige 4x4 vehicles will depend on the vehicle make, model and value. All charges are subject to VAT.
We will identify and record known existing damage before the rental begins and will provide a vehicle that has been maintained to at least the manufacturer's recommended standard and is roadworthy and suitable for its intended rental use at the start of the rental period.
Nothing in this agreement excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Subject to that, we are not responsible for indirect or unforeseeable losses arising from a breach of this agreement, such as loss of profit or loss of opportunity, where such losses were not reasonably foreseeable when the agreement was made.
We do not provide goods-in-transit insurance unless expressly agreed otherwise. You are responsible for goods, livestock and personal belongings carried in or left in the vehicle.
You must remove all belongings at the end of the hire. If items are left behind, we may agree to retain them for a reasonable period and may charge reasonable storage or handling costs.
If the vehicle is returned with commercial waste, abandoned belongings or rubbish beyond a reasonable amount of ordinary incidental waste, we may charge the reasonable disposal cost, subject to a minimum charge of £75.00.
Only you, a driver named on the Rental Agreement, or another person expressly authorised by us may drive the vehicle. Every driver must hold a valid licence appropriate for the vehicle being driven and satisfy any applicable insurance requirements.
You must not rent, sub-rent, sell, dispose of, transfer ownership of, pledge or otherwise grant rights over the vehicle or any of its parts.
You must not use, or allow the vehicle to be used:
You are responsible for the rental charges and all other charges arising under this agreement, even where you have asked another person or organisation to pay them.
The applicable rental rate, mileage allowance and excess mileage rate will be those shown on your Rental Agreement, rate card or other agreed pricing documentation.
Fuel
The Vehicle must be returned with the fuel level at least equal to the level recorded at checkout, unless otherwise agreed. Where refuelling is required, fuel is currently charged at £2.55 per litre plus VAT, calculated using the manufacturer's published tank capacity and the recorded fuel level.
You are responsible for maintaining sufficient fuel throughout the hire and for taking reasonable steps to prevent the Vehicle becoming immobilised through lack of fuel. Reasonable recovery and associated costs arising from running out of fuel may be charged to you.
AdBlue
Where the Vehicle is fitted with an AdBlue system, you are responsible for monitoring the AdBlue level throughout the rental and maintaining a sufficient level for normal operation.
You must not allow the AdBlue level to become excessively low or allow the Vehicle to reach a restricted-start, no-start or other immobilising condition as a result of insufficient AdBlue. You must not ignore AdBlue warnings or use an incorrect fluid.
The Vehicle must be returned with an AdBlue range at least equal to the range recorded or displayed at checkout. Where it is returned with a lower AdBlue range, we may charge the reasonable cost of replenishing the AdBlue together with any applicable refilling or administration charge.
You will be responsible for reasonable recovery, diagnostic, repair and other associated costs arising from depletion of the AdBlue system, ignored warnings, use of an incorrect fluid or other failure to maintain the system appropriately during the hire.
EV & PHEV Battery Charge
Where you rent a fully electric vehicle (EV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), you are responsible for monitoring and maintaining the traction battery charge throughout the rental.
You must not allow the traction battery to become excessively depleted. You must recharge the Vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an extremely low state of charge, loss of propulsion or the Vehicle becoming immobilised. Where assistance or recovery is required because the traction battery has been allowed to become depleted, you will be responsible for the reasonable recovery and associated costs.
The Vehicle must be returned with the traction battery at the same or greater state of charge (%) as recorded at checkout, unless otherwise agreed in writing. Where it is returned with a lower state of charge, we may charge the reasonable cost of replenishing the battery together with any applicable charging or administration charge.
For a PHEV, the fuel and traction battery requirements apply separately. Returning the Vehicle with the correct fuel level does not remove the requirement to return the traction battery at the required state of charge.
Any charging cable, adapter or other charging equipment supplied with the Vehicle must be returned in the same condition, subject to reasonable use. Lost, damaged or unreturned charging equipment may be charged at its reasonable replacement cost.
You may be charged the reasonable cost of repairing damage that occurred during the hire and was not present at checkout, subject to the insurance and damage protection provisions of this agreement.
Reasonable repair costs may include labour, parts, paint and materials, specialist charges, engineer assessment and other costs reasonably required to return the vehicle to its pre-damage condition.
Where appropriate, an independent engineer's report and/or recognised estimating information may be used to support the repair method, labour time, cost and/or vehicle value.
Where damage, loss, theft or another event for which you are responsible results in the Vehicle being unavailable for rental, we may charge a reasonable amount for Loss of Use for the period the Vehicle is unavailable.
Loss of Use will be assessed having regard to the circumstances of the individual case, including the nature and extent of the damage, whether the Vehicle remains roadworthy, the reasonable repair period, availability of parts and any other relevant circumstances.
Where we have a separately agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA), rate agreement or other written commercial arrangement with a Business Customer, Loss of Use will be calculated in accordance with the methodology agreed within that arrangement. Any specific formula, including a calculation based on assessed labour hours, applies only where it has been expressly agreed with that Business Customer.
You remain responsible for Penalty Charge Notices, parking charges, tolls, congestion charges, road traffic offences and similar charges incurred during the hire.
Where we receive a notice relating to your hire, we may pay it directly where appropriate to prevent unnecessary escalation and recharge the amount to you together with our standard £30.00 administration fee plus VAT. Alternatively, where appropriate, we may transfer liability or provide your details to the issuing authority or company.
You are responsible for reasonable recovery, release, storage and associated costs arising where the vehicle is clamped, seized, impounded or recovered as a result of your use of the vehicle or a breach of this agreement, together with any applicable Loss of Use.
Published delivery, collection, additional-driver, late-return, accessory and other agreed charges may also apply.
We may charge interest on overdue sums at 4% per annum above the base lending rate published by Barclays Bank, calculated from the date payment became due until payment is received.
VAT will be applied where legally applicable.
Full details of any motor insurance or damage protection arranged through us, including exclusions, restrictions and any responsibility amount/excess, are available from the renting location and/or will be shown on the Rental Agreement.
We have a legal responsibility to maintain the required third-party motor insurance. Any additional cover or waiver accepted by you is subject to its stated terms, exclusions and responsibility amount.
Where Collision and Loss Damage Waiver is accepted and applies, you remain responsible up to the applicable responsibility amount shown on the Rental Agreement for each separate incident, subject to the terms and exclusions of the cover.
Where Theft Waiver is accepted and applies, you remain responsible up to the applicable responsibility amount shown on the Rental Agreement, subject to the terms and exclusions of the cover.
Where optional insurance products are offered, you are responsible for deciding whether they are suitable for your needs.
Where we agree that you may use your own motor insurance, you must maintain suitable cover for the full rental period and provide satisfactory evidence of that cover before the vehicle is released.
We reserve the right to approve the insurer, policy and level of cover and to require our interest as vehicle owner to be noted where appropriate. You must not materially alter or cancel the agreed cover during the hire without our written agreement.
Where a hire is on Client's Own Insurance (COI), chargeable damage may be charged directly to you. Unless otherwise agreed, it is your responsibility to recover those costs from your insurer in accordance with your own policy and claims process.
If your insurance fails, is invalid, does not respond to a claim or does not provide sufficient cover, you remain responsible for sums properly due under this agreement.
If the vehicle is involved in an accident, you must not admit liability or make any promise of payment or settlement on our behalf.
You must provide us with full details of the incident as soon as reasonably possible and, where relevant:
If the vehicle is stolen, you must report the theft to the police and to us as soon as reasonably possible and return all available keys and security devices.
We process personal information in order to administer your booking and rental, manage insurance and claims, deal with breakdowns, recover vehicles, process traffic-related charges, prevent fraud, recover debts and meet our legal and regulatory obligations.
Where necessary for these purposes, information may be shared with relevant third parties such as insurers, breakdown providers, vehicle manufacturers, credit-reference agencies, debt-recovery providers, police, local authorities, councils, parking operators and other organisations with a legitimate role in administering the rental or enforcing legal rights.
Rental vehicles may be fitted with tracking or telematics devices. Where reasonably necessary, tracking information may be used for fleet management, security, vehicle recovery, investigation of misuse and other legitimate business purposes.
If you connect a mobile phone or other device to the vehicle, personal data may be transferred to the vehicle or connected services. You are responsible for deleting your personal information from the vehicle before return.
Personal information will be retained in accordance with our applicable retention requirements and Privacy Policy.
We may end this agreement and require the return of the vehicle if you materially breach these terms, fail to pay sums due, provide materially false information, use the vehicle unlawfully or in a manner that places the vehicle or others at unreasonable risk.
If you are a company or other business entity, we may also end the agreement where you enter liquidation or another formal insolvency process, cease trading, convene a meeting of creditors or become subject to enforcement action that materially affects your ability to meet your obligations.
Ending the agreement does not affect rights or liabilities that arose before termination. We may recover reasonable costs incurred in recovering the vehicle or enforcing sums properly due under the agreement.
We aim to resolve complaints and disagreements fairly and promptly. Where appropriate, unresolved disputes may be referred to the BVRLA's conciliation service.
This agreement is governed by the law applicable in the country in which the Rental Agreement is entered into, and disputes may be dealt with by the courts of that country, subject to any mandatory legal rights that apply.
Where the Hirer is a Private Consumer, nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or restricts any statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
These Terms & Conditions, together with the Rental Agreement and any documents expressly incorporated into it, contain the terms agreed between us and supersede earlier discussions or representations relating to the same rental, except where the law provides otherwise.